Coin-actuated mechanism



' June 3, 1930. B. L. FRY

I col-N ACTUATED MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Shet l Filed Aug; 19, 1929 a 1 Z: ww 2:25

I I 'IIIIIIIIIIIII I 'IIIIIII'IA VII June 3, 1930. 1 B. L. FRY

I COIN ACTUATED MECHANISM FiledAug. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet I am W1 Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT OFFICE V BENJAMIN L. FRY, or sr. LoUIs, MISSOURI ooiN-AccruArEn MECHANISM Application filed August 19,1929. Serial No. 386,871.

In an application, Serial No; 346,608, filed by me March 13, l929,there is disclosed a coin-controlled vending machine for the delivery'of'package goods, such as cigarettes, 5 which requires thedeposit of two coins to permit and'efiect its operation and delivery of the goods. Where the selling price of the package is such that coins of unequal size and value, suchas a dime and a nickel are re- 19 quired, the machine shown in said application has served satisfactorily and customers haveshown no tendency to misunderstand the operation or deposit the coins in'the 1 wrong tubes. Where, however, theselling price of a packageis such that two coins of equal value, such as two dimes, are required, it has frequently happened that the customer either through carelessness or forgetfulness deposits both coins in one coin chute, the result being that the machine is not only not renderedoperative but is clogged, and it becomes necessary to disassemble the coin chute and the parts immediately associated therewith in order to put the machine in an operative condition. The object of the present invention is to provide a simple device whereby bothjcoins may be inserted in one tube and will be automatically deflected into the proper relation to the operating mechanism. Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the coin chute which will facilitate the assembly of the same and avoid the use of fastening devices, such as rivets, screws or the like. An apparatus embodying the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

f In the drawingsi Y 4 ',Figure 1 is a'rear elevation of a vending machine having the present invention embodied therein, 3

- Fig. -2'is an enlarged sectional elevation ofthe particularportion of the machine in which the invention is embodied, I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portionof the coin chute showing the parts disassembled but in their proper relative position's,

Fig. 4 is a' vertical section. o-f the parts shown in Fig. 3 with the parts properly connected, I

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a different position of the coin deflector,

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6'6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a detail cross section on the line 77 of Fig. 4. g

In Fig. 1, there is shown at 1 the casing of a coin-controlled vending machine and in said machine there is shown, at one side, mechanism embodying two coin chutes'2 and 3 whereby the deposit of coins of dilferent sizes and values is facilitated and by which the coins are directed to the operating mechanism, indicated generally at 45. At the right of Fig.1 is shown mechanism adapted "for; operation by the deposit of two coins of the same value, each of said mechanisms including a single coin chute5. The coin chute 5 comprises an upper tubular portion which is supported in any convenient manner within the casing of the machine and has its upper end disposed in juxtaposition to a coin slot in the front of the casing. The lower end 7 of thisupper section 6 is fitted in the upper end ofa coupling and deflecting body? which is enlarged relative to the' upper section and has its lower end engaged with two separate guiding tubes 8 leading to the operating mechanism, indicated at'9. The intermediate coupling body 7 is preferably formed of two similarcastingseach having its upper end contracted, as'shownat 10, below which the casting' is expanded,'as shown at 11, and in the transverse web 12, at the lower end ofth'e same, isfo-rmed a notch 13", the purpose of which will presently appear. The side webs of each castingare provided with lateral lugs 13 at their upper and lower extremities and intermediate the ends are smaller lugs 14, as shown, the edges of the side webs being recessed between the several lugs thereby forming slots 15 and 16 in the sides of the coupling, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. Upon reference to said Fig. 3, it will be understood that the several lugs of the two castings mate when the castings are brought together and through the uppermost and lowermost of said lugs rivets orother fastenings, indicated at 17 are insertedto firmly secure the two castings together. About on a line with the lower dge's of the lugs,14, a pivot pin 18 extends across the coupling body and this pivot body. The lower shorter arm ofthe deflector has its side edges diverging downwardly so" .pin'carries a deflector 19in theform' of a lever having its upper arm very much longer than its lower arm whereby it will overbalance the lower arm and cause thereflector to normally assume an 1110 1111664PQSlillQ lljYlhll 1ts upper end PXOJGCtlIlg through one-upperl slot 15 and laterally 'beyond t'he, coupling that they will direct acorn, indicated at20,

to the adjacent side of the'oupl'ing body and he yceuse t to ssum position o e he upper end of one of the tubes 8. To avoid unnecessary weightfllre lower endor" the deflector is prefer ablyfforked, as shown at2l. lhteub s 8, afs s own i F g-: ale erm each of a single length of tubing folded to provide a rectangular shell having l, longitudinal slot 22 in its outer wall, the tube or shell beingb et-adjacenti v ndslsd he the endswill be offset relative to its-intermediate; erti n. n-dthie u s W cin pe i wil diverg de nwa idly so, as to p op y direqtith je etot e on r ll ng a ism, as w be llnd retoodnr n e er ce o F ,The'le r e ds efith seet n i e ate; t e upp r en eeipor i s jef lb which deliven-the coin into the operating me hani m-v lness m ling t p r s, r -V lj -c d np nd 91s pp d ert e o r c pl ng bbdm er' y ewn in g 4 an 5, W'hena coin is inserted throughjthe coin jfront of the casing, it will gravi- Q Cons uently, the coin; will impinge upon-the end: oztthe tubefi and isso proportioned that t n llie e ely 'en ite e t e t -en W f b held t er t by f ona eng gement 1 si i er m nn h ppe e d f. he re p' e tve tube :8 a e fi ed t bwt the lQ Qr tfheintermedia'te couplingbody, tlie endwalls;

ofth tu y g' s 'lr gain t the e ds f thewebsl2,while the inner side wall of each tub 8.. i .1 P21883119 eno h .l3ft 1 the slots122 will receive thelowermost lugs 1-3, l-Qtwhi hi edet lv hpun iF gs- 18 t 'Z. ;,'lhe:tubes '8 -;wi l' 1 bind snugly t around the lower portion of the fcoup'ling body "12 and the legs 13 .WHLS YB 1 0 v g de he b s in. pl e 01 at th y W l1.:- I IiQ yfbe Prop rly:

GeMerdibut t eyicen t e Plated so hat theint rm die eP rt on W Hi Xt l Mdf ly towa'r-dthe central vertical line ofrthe-cou pling body instead -ofoutwardly with respect thereto-as\is'desired. v p c l lormally the-deflector 1 9gextendsupwarda ly: and laterally through OIIQO'LE the slots so-lt-hat, its; lower end will project somewhat V hro ghth s 16 a; hez ppq s e of h slot in the atethrmlghv h e o 6 of'thecqin u and passimmediate ly "into the coupling body;

I sv l fr path i f foss dbythe 'e t r. and;

deflector.and'will 'bethereby-turnedtoward i l the adjacent? side of the 7 coupling body. While the deflector extends entirelyracross the path of the coin,-its bulk is not sutficient tot stop the progress of the coin'especially when the momentumof the coin is accelerated its drop throughlthe upper section of; the ff 1 chute. Consequently;although-therein will e If the coupling 7 7 75,1: fleet'o'r' upoiiitfsplvot so that it will be shifted c to the opposite side of the coupling'body and bedirected toward one side-of body its impactlwill serve .to swing thedethe coin will-be permitted to pass at once exeept that the defi c wis swu g wa-rdt into one of the lower tubes .8. Whenthe sec- 1" "0nd coin is de'posited,the action is repeated,

pre tess dei et he oup i g may. sh I i coin entering said bodyis'deflected into the ,l

ivery: clearly othe t b Th is I e l ersteo couplingsection having its :upperend fitted. 1i i i aid'fie r lsc The use of thisdevice veryeff'ectually preto thesame great cost and itdo es not'add mate l et Creasethe timerequiredfo-r'theproduction-or 1 to the lower end-of theupper section, and] eve e' i s'ha jng h ir end 'fitte w T 1155 'lowerend-ot the intermediate coupling sec-f ion d di ere l rdewnwai d theret m,

the upper-end of each lowerfsectionen riding I partly around'thelower end of;'the;1nterme-, diate section;

Vinto-and'acr'oss said section.

' pr s ng a op ec ny a C p in ing-its' uppergendfitted to the lower end of Said esetion n it b dy Po on e pen -y ed r at v 0 sa v pp rf d and c n truc ed t ts lower .e l to e engag with eipei j a end h v n one W lle te id i r V c, [I H1; H0 1A .0 11 chute or venclmgmachme com- 1 seetioe e b o e ubu er'm ers, aintbf b t m tu ular v m m s a n fitted to the lower end of u I .and"d e e ng' o nwar y re m th r up ng -me r beine prov ed i w t 1 vertically extending slots in itsoppositeside s, and a deflector-'piyot'ally mounted withinthe' ends extendingrespectively through {slots in ppo t -sides o ai memb g *3. Agcoin chutejfor vending machinescomv 7 r I p is n 3 ingle pper ember, niin e-v ate coupllng body fitted around the lower end of said upper member and haviirgits coupling; member and having its opposite- 1 V body portion expanded'below its upper end, spaced tubular members having their upper ends engaged with and partly entering the lower end of the intermediate coupling memher and extending downwardly therefrom,

and a deflector 'pivotally mounted within the coupling I body with its lower end portion adjacent theupper ends of the lower tubular members, said deflector normally extending across the coupling member and adapted upon 7 impact of a coin to swing and direct the coin into-one or the other of said lower' tubular members.

4. A coin chute for vending machines comprising a single top section, an intermediate coupling member having its upper end fitted to the lower end ofsaid top section and provided with vertically extending slots in its sides, bottom tubular members having their upper ends en aged with the lower end of the coupling mem er in spaced relation, and a deflector pivotally mounted within the coupling member and normally extending across the same so that its opposite ends will project through slots in the opposite sides of the member, the lower end walls of the upper slots constituting stops to limit the movement of the deflector. I V 1 5. A coin chute for vending machines comprising a top rectangular tube, a coupling 7 body having its upper end reduced and shaped to snuglyfit around the top tube, the lower end of the coupling body having vertically extending notches at the'lower ends of its side walls and said coupling member consisting of mating sections having outwardly projecting lugs at the meeting edges of their side portions, lower tubular members having their upper ends formed to fit around the lower end of the coupling member and engage within the'notch-es therein and provided in their outer sides with longitudinal slots engaging the lugs at the bottom of the coupling member. 7 I I In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BENJAMIN L. FRY. [1,. s] 

